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D-Lux 4 Viewfinder... what are you using?


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Using a vintage SBOOI 5cm at one end, and vintage Leitz 21mm at the other end. As Leica rangefinder fellow, I find both viewfinders' fields are close enough to eye-ball the correct camera field in each case. I find that the best reason for the viewfinder is to be able to hold the camera close against my face to steady it when shooting the picture. Also, otherwise, I would have to wear glasses to frame in the LCD. By the way, neither one blocks the flash, although the 21mm is a very close fit.

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On my LX3 I have been using a ver dfferent viewfinder, one called a Kirn, made in Scotland aparrently and works in a very similar fashion to the Voigtlander Kontur where the center of the finder is blacked out and if you look through it as per normal with viewfinders - one eye closed, you see nothing! The idea with this type is that you look through it with the right eye, and keep the left eye open. (or visa versa!) The finder itself shows the frameline instead of the image! I know it sounds strange, but our brain puts the images together when one eye sees the image and the other sees the frameline. This finder will show you virtually unlimited peripheral vision! The frameline very approximately covers 60mm equiv and I found this perfect for my style of shooting, preferring to go for the 'std lens' type of operation.

Whilst not perfect I have found it to be a great finder for the type of shooting I have been doing. Have however just put it on ebay as I have been given a normal one as a present and as a case of switching or risking upsetting!

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I just bought leica 21mm finder for my M8 to use with 21/1.4 I also tried it with Dlux 4. Very close match. I experimented for five min and understand exactly where Dlux frame lines are.

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I've been using a CV 25 finder on the D-Lux 4. It's a little tight but I learned to compensate fairly quickly.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Thanks, Sean, for your new review of the dlux 4 (part 1). Like you, I wish the camera had step-zoom capability to better facilitate use with viewfinders. Guess maybe in the dlux 5? or 6?....

Jeff

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Thanks, Sean, for your new review of the dlux 4 (part 1). Like you, I wish the camera had step-zoom capability to better facilitate use with viewfinders. Guess maybe in the dlux 5? or 6?....

Jeff

 

Thanks Jeff,

 

They've made so many steps in the right direction and they're so close now...it amazes me that they didn't learn from Ricoh on this. But the camera still has many strengths and I can certainly understand the enthusiasm for it.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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Thanks, Sean, for your new review of the dlux 4 (part 1). Like you, I wish the camera had step-zoom capability to better facilitate use with viewfinders. Guess maybe in the dlux 5? or 6?....

Jeff

 

Yes, Sean, looking forward to the second instalment... I thought I´d wait for your review before upgrading my D-Lux 3, but my restlessness got the better of me....:o

 

Anyhow, I´m very happy with the camera, and find it´s a very significant improvement over the previous model.

 

Finally getting to the subject.... While I agree that a step-zoom, or just the facility to select a startup setting (even my first digicam from 2000 had that...), I´ve come to the conclusion that using just the 24 and 60 settings work quite well, and they can be reached without looking at the camera, of course. With the long zoom range of the D-Lux 3, this wasn´t an option, so I was one of those who marked the barrel with different settings. I may do this with the D-Lux 4 as well, just to get the 35 mm setting.

 

When shooting with non-zoom lenses, one soon found out that the fewer lenses one had, the faster one learnt to choose between them... So, for me the circle is closed now....

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Yes, Sean, looking forward to the second instalment... I thought I´d wait for your review before upgrading my D-Lux 3, but my restlessness got the better of me....:o

 

Anyhow, I´m very happy with the camera, and find it´s a very significant improvement over the previous model.

 

Finally getting to the subject.... While I agree that a step-zoom, or just the facility to select a startup setting (even my first digicam from 2000 had that...), I´ve come to the conclusion that using just the 24 and 60 settings work quite well, and they can be reached without looking at the camera, of course. With the long zoom range of the D-Lux 3, this wasn´t an option, so I was one of those who marked the barrel with different settings. I may do this with the D-Lux 4 as well, just to get the 35 mm setting.

 

When shooting with non-zoom lenses, one soon found out that the fewer lenses one had, the faster one learnt to choose between them... So, for me the circle is closed now....

 

Hi Per,

 

Yes, this becomes very much an individual preferences. Other than testing that camera, I never shoot 24 mm hand-held and 35 - 50 is the heart of what I like. Of course, as I discussed in the article, some people are quite happy with using the LCD.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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Thanks Jeff,

 

They've made so many steps in the right direction and they're so close now...it amazes me that they didn't learn from Ricoh on this. But the camera still has many strengths and I can certainly understand the enthusiasm for it.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

I should point out that, like Per, I also broke down and recently got the dlux 4. I don't regret it at all...it's a wonderful little addition to my M8, and forces me out of my normal box due to the LCD. That is, I'm more prone to try different shooting angles, take more risk on compositions, etc. Part of this is also due to the 24mm setting, which wasn't part of my arsenal when I shot with film M's.

 

So, while I'd like more viewfinder options, the portability, lens and framing capabilities, and picture quality make it worth it to me. And, the M8 is around when I'm in a different, perhaps more deliberate, mode.

 

Jeff

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Reluctantly I shall have to let this Voigtlander "mini" 28/35 go, as seeing the whole of frames - even pressing my eye-glasses right up against it - is impossible. Looks as though the "proper" Leica (or possibly the Voiglander 25 (or 21mm) is the answer for me.

Only three days later and I have bought a used Voigtlander 25mm finder, albeit one of the early ones - viz. without a bright-line frame. Much better for me than the "mini' 28/35 version I still have - and wish to sell, although there is no appropriate section for it in the Forum's "Buy & Sell" section. NB I feel that I cannot recommend it to anyone who wears eye-glasses, for reasons outlined already.

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Much better for me than the "mini' 28/35 version I still have - and wish to sell, although there is no appropriate section for it in the Forum's "Buy & Sell" section..

 

I offered to buy it, but you didn't answer...:confused:

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